Now, everyone in the Lin family, like Lin Yajun, has begun to respectfully address Zhao Canchen as Young Master Zhao. This title not only reflects their respect for Zhao Canchen but also demonstrates the close relationship between the Lin family and Zhao Canchen.
Zhao Canchen clearly liked this nickname; it helped him forget his awkward situation.
"Let's go," Zhao Canchen said softly, then turned and walked outside.
Lin Songhao and Lin Yajun hurriedly caught up with Zhao Canchen. They stood about a step away from him on either side, forming a close protective formation, constantly watching their surroundings to ensure Zhao Canchen's safety.
The three of them walked through the narrow alley and turned onto the wide main street, heading towards the East Market. The streets were bustling with people, shoulder to shoulder, a lively scene. Some hurried along, some stopped to chat, some selected goods, and some savored food, each busy with their own activities.
When people's eyes happened to sweep over the three people, they all froze in surprise. Their gazes were fixed on the three of them and they couldn't look away.
The man at the front was tall and slender, slightly thin, yet possessed an air of upright elegance. His face was sharply defined, with striking eyebrows, bright eyes, a high nose, and slightly pursed lips. He exuded an extraordinary air, his demeanor refined and graceful, revealing a unique and distinguished presence in every gesture.
Following behind the man was a young woman with skin as white as snow, delicate features, and bright, sparkling eyes beneath her willow-leaf eyebrows. She had a straight, delicate nose and naturally red lips. When she smiled, she was like a spring flower in full bloom, and when she was cold, she was like a snow lotus bud about to open.
Beside the woman was a boy of about ten years old. His face was still young, yet he possessed a pure and lively quality, like a child. His head was large and round, and his eyes were bright as stars, radiating curiosity and innocence.
Soon, some people recognized the three people and began to whisper among themselves. Although their voices were not loud, they were still clearly heard by Zhao Canchen and the others.
"Look, isn't that guy...?"
"Yes, yes, that's him!"
"Isn't that the eldest daughter of the Lin family, whose fiancé died?"
"Oh dear, how could she show herself in public like that? It's so improper!"
Despite the pointing fingers and whispers of the crowd, Lin Yajun remained remarkably composed. She held her head high, her steps steady, completely unconcerned by the idle chatter.
Zhao Canchen was already somewhat reserved when facing outsiders, and being watched and talked about by others was not a pleasant thing, making him even more nervous and uneasy.
When he turned his head and saw Lin Yajun's calm and composed demeanor, a feeling of admiration welled up in his heart. So, he slowly straightened up, no longer as timid and hesitant as before.
On the streets of the capital, there are probably very few young ladies like Lin Yajun who go out without maids or servants.
After all, unmarried women usually need someone to accompany them when they go out, in order to show their status and upbringing, and to prevent them from being bumped into and causing trouble.
Lin Yajun was different from other women. Born into a military family, she received rigorous training from a young age, developing exceptional agility and skill. Therefore, she felt no fear whatsoever towards those who might challenge her.
Moreover, Lin Yajun's personality has become more forthright and less concerned with trivial matters. She completely disregards worldly opinions and gossip.
She thought to herself, "These gossipy ancient people are so boring."
She continued walking briskly down the street as if nothing had happened. Some women who saw her showed disdain on their faces and occasionally curled their lip in disapproval.
"This woman is a jinx to her husbands and doesn't uphold traditional wifely virtues; she'll definitely have a hard time getting married in the future."
"That's right, she's not virtuous at all. Who would dare marry a woman like that? No one would want her as a second wife!"
These women deliberately raised their voices, wanting Lin Yajun to hear them, to embarrass her, and even hoping to see her cry because of their words.
Lin Yajun suddenly stopped, turned her head to look at the women, and smiled disdainfully.
She retorted without hesitation, "Those gossipy old women have rotten tongues!" After cursing, she brandished the sword in her hand as a threat.
The women stood there stunned. Seeing that Miss Lin was clearly not afraid of trouble, they were afraid that if they continued to curse her, they would only get beaten up for nothing.
Unwilling to admit defeat, one of the bolder women went so far as to spread rumors in public, "I've heard people say that this Lin family girl is a jinx. And it's true, she's brought death to the entire Ren family!"
"You bastard who talks nonsense!" Lin Yajun cursed, and with a flick of her wrist, she threw a copper coin at the woman. With a "smack," the woman immediately screamed in pain, "Ah, my tooth! She knocked my tooth out!"
A group of gossiping women were stunned; they had never seen a young lady dare to knock out someone's front tooth in the street.
"I'm going to the government office to sue the officials and make you be flogged and pay compensation!" the woman cried, covering her bleeding mouth.
Lin Yajun clapped her hands and laughed, "Ha, this young lady has compensated you with a copper coin." The copper coin on the ground was stained with blood, and there were two front teeth on one side.
The woman was so angry that she jumped up and down, shouting, "I'm going to the government office to file a complaint and have you stripped of your pants and given a good beating!"
"Go, hurry up and go. I'll tell you you were cursing me." Zhao Canchen glared at the woman and said, "We'll see who gets the beating then."
"Let's go, let's go quickly." The group of women scattered in a flurry, knowing that it was best not to provoke this person.
After the women left, Zhao Canchen worried that Lin Yajun would be upset because of what they said, so he lowered his voice and comforted her, "Xiaojun, don't take their words too seriously. You will definitely get married, and you will never bring bad luck to your husband."
Lin Yajun simply shrugged indifferently, "Get married? I have no intention of getting married at all."
Zhao Canchen was stunned when he heard this.
He carefully observed Lin Yajun's expression and realized that she didn't seem to be saying it out of anger, but had really made this decision.
A feeling of sympathy welled up in his heart, and he secretly speculated that the previous marriage exchange incident might have caused Lin Yajun great harm, leading to her such resistance to marriage.
Zhao Canchen lowered his voice and said to Lin Yajun, "You may not know this, but according to the imperial court's regulations, if a man is still unmarried at the age of twenty and a woman is still unmarried at the age of eighteen, the imperial court will arrange their marriages. So, you can't stay unmarried."
"Huh?" Lin Yajun was clearly shocked by the news. She stared at Zhao Canchen with wide eyes and hurriedly asked, "Isn't there any other way?"
She was genuinely unaware of such a rule before, since the original owner of this body had already been engaged three years prior, happily embroidering her wedding dress and looking forward to her marriage. Naturally, no one would tell her what the consequences would be if she didn't get married.
"Can't we establish a female household?" Lin Yajun suddenly remembered this idea and quickly asked in a low voice.
Zhao Canchen shook his head and explained, "That's only possible if a woman has no family members, and she has to pay a head tax and various other taxes."
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